RSS Feed

2023 Event Schedule Update

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Hello LSW supporters and members! We are excited to release our current schedule for 2023. We have more events in the planning stages, but these are the events we have confirmed:

May 6th, 2023: This is the Commemorative Air Force Ride Day at Dallas Executive airport. Please check this link for more information: https://flynaec.org/warbird-weekend/. Be advised that this event requires a ticket at the gate to be purchased. Allow for time to purchase your ticket and get through the gate. The cost of your ride on our Stearman is above and beyond the cost of the ticket to attend the event. The event has many aircraft and fun things to do! Well worth the cost of the gate.

IF YOU BOOK A RIDE ON MAY 6TH, YOUR RIDE WILL OCCUR AT THE EVENT: https://flynaec.org/warbird-weekend/ . If you have questions about this, feel free to reach out to us!

Ride cost at this event is $275 for 20 minutes.

May 13th, 2023: This event is being held at our home base in Marshall, TX. You can find directions to our hangar here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/ . The event will run from 10 am to 4 pm.

Ride cost at this event is $225 for 20 minutes (we offer a discount when we operate out of our home base).

May 20th, 2023: This is a Barnstormer Saturday event with Ike's Bird, the smallest Air Force One! Please check this link for more information: https://www.ikesbird.org/greenville. The event has many aircraft and fun things to do!

IF YOU BOOK A RIDE ON MAY 20TH, YOUR RIDE WILL OCCUR AT THE EVENT: https://www.ikesbird.org/greenville. If you have questions about this, feel free to reach out to us!

Ride cost at this event is $275 for 20 minutes.

June 3rd, 2023: This is a Barnstormer Saturday event with Ike's Bird, the smallest Air Force One! Please check this link for more information: https://www.ikesbird.org/midlothian-june3. The event has many aircraft and fun things to do!

IF YOU BOOK A RIDE ON JUNE 3RD, YOUR RIDE WILL OCCUR AT THE EVENT: https://www.ikesbird.org/midlothian-june3. If you have questions about this, feel free to reach out to us!

Ride cost at this event is $275 for 20 minutes.

September 2nd, 2023: This is a Barnstormer Saturday event with Ike's Bird, the smallest Air Force One! Please check this link for more information: https://www.ikesbird.org/lancaster. The event has many aircraft and fun things to do!

IF YOU BOOK A RIDE ON SEPT 2ND, YOUR RIDE WILL OCCUR AT THE EVENT: https://www.ikesbird.org/lancaster. If you have questions about this, feel free to reach out to us!

Ride cost at this event is $275 for 20 minutes.

We are excited to be partnering with Ike's Bird, the smallest Air Force One, for many events in the Dallas area this year. Please keep an eye on our schedule as we update with more of these events. We also have our Spring Fly-In planned for May 13th, 2023 (just around the corner)...be sure to mark your calendar and join us at our home base in Marshall, TX for this fun event! You can get more information about our Fly-In on our Facebook page.

Fall Fly-In/Drive-In, November 5th, 2022

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing of the CAF invites you to our Fall Fly-in. Come visit beautiful East Texas and enjoy a day with fellow aviation enthusiasts. There will be hotdogs and burgers on hand (for as long as they last), a hangar to "hang" in and space for you to park your airplane.

Also, grab yourself a ride in our PT-17 for the special rate of $175/20 minutes on November 5th. You can book your ride at www.lonestarwing.org/booking. We are located in the piney woods of East Texas at Harrison County Airport. If you have any questions about picking your time, costs, or anything else, feel free to email us at lonestarwingcaf@gmail.com or call us at (903)702-5353. We look forward to sharing our airplane and our love of WWII aviation history with you! Walk-up ride sales are welcome!

Spring Fly-in is a success!

Sun, 23 May 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Despite some bad weather that cut our festivities short, we had a good crowd, some cool airplanes and cars, and shared in the fun and fellowship of aviation at our Spring Fly-In. Thanks to all who came out to support us!

You can see a gallery of photos here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=43 or on our Facebook page.

We'll see you at our next event! Once again, thanks to everyone who came out to support us!

-LSW Membership

Spring Fly-in Scheduled! May 22nd. Join us for a great day of fun and fellowship.

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 05:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing of the CAF invites you to our Spring Fly-in. Come visit beautiful East Texas and enjoy a day with fellow aviation enthusiasts. The local Packard club will be out to show off their classic cars and we'll have some hotdogs and burgers on hand (for as long as they last), a hangar to "hang" in and space for you to park your airplane. Stay tuned here for news on fuel discounts for the day.

Also, grab yourself a ride in our PT-17 for the special rate of $150/20 minutes on May 22nd. You can book your ride at https://www.lonestarwingcaf.org/booking. We are located in the piney woods of East Texas at Harrison County Airport. We'll have COVID-19 precautions in place, so bring your mask and we'll be happy to chat and tell you all about our awesome airplane from 6' away. If you have any questions about picking your time, costs, or anything else, feel free to email us at lonestarwingcaf@gmail.com or call us at (903)702-5353. We look forward to sharing our airplane and our love of WWII aviation history with you! Walk-up ride sales are welcome!

Recent Happenings...

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Hey All,

We've been working on the annual maintenance for 23. You can find some pics of this work here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=40

Col. Drew Thomas is our maintenance officer and he and our other maintainers have been working tirelessly to check off items on the squawk list. We look forward to getting back in the air and sharing our amazing aircraft and her inspiring history with you!

We also had the pleasure of hosting a volunteer service crew from LeTourneau University. These folks are members of the LeTourneau Aviation Society (LAS) and they spent a Saturday cleaning and disinfecting our ready room, sweeping the hangar, and helping us replace some bookshelves. Their work is greatly appreciated! You can check out photos of their work here: http://https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=41

Thanks so much for your continued support of our mission to Educate, Inspire, and Honor!

-The LSW

Maintenance Update from Col. Drew Thomas...

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 05:00:00 +0000

LSW Members and Friends,

Good news, we finished all the scheduled maintenance today. Col. Page is sending off another sample of oil to be analyzed. The jugs were bore scoped and on Col. Page's computer for further analysis. I hope to let you know more later.

Everything looked good with the gear struts. A big thank you goes out to all that helped out today,

Drew Thomas

September IN PERSON Meeting!

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 05:00:00 +0000

To our friends:

The Lone Star Wing will meet in-person at the LSW Hangar in Marshall, TX tomorrow, September 19th, 2020 at 10 am. We hope to see you there. We will be meeting in our hangar to afford appropriate social distancing requirements.

-The LSW

The Lone Star Wing in Longview September 12th and 13th (UPDATED)

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 05:00:00 +0000

We are excited to be at KRS Jet Center in Longview, Texas (KGGG) on September 12th and 13th. You can book a ride on our Stearman here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/booking/ . Please note, the B-17 Texas Raiders and her friends, the Navy SNJ and JRB-8 are no longer attending this event. Our Stearman will still be at the KRS Jet Center at Longview from 9 to 4 on Saturday the 12th and 9 to 12pm Sunday the 13th. We hope to see you there!

We hope to see you there!!

-Lone Star Wing

Ride Day Photos Up, and 75th Anniversary of VJ Day Flyover Planned

Sat, 08 Aug 2020 05:00:00 +0000

Hello!

Once again, thank you so much for the support on our ride days in May, June, and July. Your support has enabled us to stay on budget for 2020. There is no way that happens without you coming out to support us. It was an honor to fly with all of you.

As the temperatures increase around East Texas, we usually stand-down (as does the regional airshow season...even in a "normal" year). As such, we won't have any ride days planned for August or September. However, we are planning to do a local fly-over in August 14th, 2020 in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day. Weather permitting, our flight will depart from Marshall, TX at 9:00 AM on the 14th of August. The planned route takes us over Gladewater, Gilmer, Henderson, Carthage, and Longview. Please keep your ears and eyes open for our bright yellow PT-17 and join us in celebrating a turning point in the fight for freedom and liberty in our world.

We are planning to accomplish some minor maintenance tasks on the Stearman during our downtime. If you'd like to come out and meet us, let us know at lonestarwingcaf@gmail.com . With the current COVID-associated restrictions in place, we can't have a crowd at the hangar, but we'd love to hear from you and we may be able to make a way for you to come out and meet us and see the airplane. If the restrictions get lifted, then all the better. No matter what, drop us a line at our email so we know you are interested in coming out to visit and we'll keep in touch and make a way for that to happen as we can.

You can check out the photos from our ride days in June and July here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=38

See you soon!

-The LSW

Ride Opportunities in the Future

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 05:00:00 +0000

Hello!

We've had a great response to our ride days in May and June. Again, we want to thank our community for coming out to enjoy a ride in the Stearman! Going into July we are looking at days when we will be available for rides. When we figure that out, we'll open up bookings for July. That being said, you can always call us at (903)702-5353 or use the contact form (<-click there to go to the form) or email us at lonestarwingcaf@gmail.com to get a ride scheduled on a day that works for you. We now have two pilots, so our ability to flex around your schedule is a bit better these days!

Again, thank you so much for your support...you keep us flying!

-The LSW

May Ride Days a HUGE Success...Thanks to YOU!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 05:00:00 +0000

YOU are so amazing!

After the great media attention we had in the week leading up to our first ride day in May (on the 23rd), you came out and supported us so generously! It was our honor to share this aircraft with you and give you something to smile about, but YOU, the members of our community, are the real heroes. Your support, in the form of purchasing rides on our aircraft, is VERY appreciated. We just changed the oil in the aircraft in preparation for our June ride days and that small maintenance item costs just over $200. Without your amazing support, even that small bill would be impossible to pay. Without you, we don't fly. So thank you. Thank you so much. Here is a small collection of photos from our May 23rd and 30th ride days: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=34

-The Lone Star Wing

Special Ride Days Scheduled for May!

Sun, 17 May 2020 05:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing is excited to announce two special ride days this month, May, 2020.

Many events have been canceled over the past few months. Our Spring schedule was full. Ride sales are the main way we accomplish our mission to Educate, Inspire, and Honor by operating and sharing our Stearman. In that light, we have put together a carefully thought out procedure that will enable safe ride sales in May 23rd and 30th at our hangar in Marshall, Texas. We are offering our 20 minute rides at the special discounted rate of $150 (20 minute rides are typically $200). This rate is only valid for these two days in May. These two days accomplish two things:

1. Help us build revenue to support operation and maintenance of the aircraft

2. Help folks get out of their homes and have some fun in a safe manner

You can read the procedure we'll be following by clicking the link here: LONE STAR WING OPORD.pdf

We'd love to see you on May 23rd, or May 30th. Rides will start at 9am and run until there are no more riders who want to fly OR 5pm, whichever comes first. Head over the lonestarwing.org/booking for a slot. No payment is due at this time...we just want to get you scheduled so you can have an idea of what time you'll fly.

-Lone Star Wing

Spring 2020 Schedule is UP!

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 06:00:00 +0000

We've got a packed schedule for our Spring 2020 season.

Check out the calendar here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/lonestarcaf/events/?ref=page_internal

We hope to see you at one or many of these events!

-LSW

The Lonely Volunteer

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 06:00:00 +0000

The Lonely Volunteer.

I am sure many of you have experienced the phenomenon of feeling like "the only one" who is stepping up to volunteer for a worthwhile endeavor.

I have.

Here's the truth, though. Often times we are alone because we aren't reaching out for help to those waiting in the wings and excited to pitch in.

Most people won't dive in if they don't feel welcome. Most people won't feel welcome to help if they aren't asked (and encouraged!).

True confession: Last year I was lamenting how much work I was doing on our airplane to one of my good friends and fellow members. He looked at me and said, "Jimmy, all you have to do is ASK and we'll be here!" That's when I realized, my lonesome "duty" wasn't duty at all. It was my fault I didn't have the help and comaraderie I needed.

So I decided to ask.

Guess what?

They stepped up. Big time. Now we have knocked out multiple projects on the airplane and are building a great team of maintainers. Everyone is excited to help out.

So learn the lesson I've learned...if you feel alone in your volunteer endeavors...maybe the problem is you haven't invited folks in to help you!

Col. Page

Lone Star Wing Ops Officer

Join Us!

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Membership in charitable organizations is struggling across the board right now. Younger generations are connected to their passions via means other than the typical monthly meeting model. The internet provides a way for them to organize around their preferred cause without the need to physically meet. These passions are often different than the typical subject matter of "older" organizations. Music, art, gaming, politics, community development, and myriad other causes can all be accomplished almost entirely online. This phenomenon creates a challenge for our organization.

Yet, our mission stands as important as it has ever been. Our work needs as many passionate volunteers as it has ever needed.

We love new folks coming out to the hangar to visit. We will meet you with a welcome and a hearty handshake. These are things you can't experience in an online forum or on a Facebook page. From the beginning the CAF has sought to drop the rope and allow physical contact with the artifacts of history we steward. In that light, the physical meeting and fellowship that occur are an important part of our fun. Yes, fun. While it may be possible to pursue the passion of aviation history entirely online through research, discussion, and even relationship, we believe it's better to experience those things in person.

In that light we want to emphasize how much we'd love to see you at our next meeting on Saturday, February 15th. Come and meet us. We'll show you the hangar and the airplane. We'll also (hopefully) show you that coming to hang out in person is so much better than living out your passion entirely online.

Join Us!

-The Lone Star Wing

Lone Star Wing December 7th, 2019 Banquet Photos

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 06:00:00 +0000

One December 7th, 2019, the LSW held our annual banquet.

The wing enjoyed a great dinner, excellent speaker, and voted in new officers for 2020. Look for a blog post with the slate of LSW 2020 officers coming up.

Until then you can enjoy some pics from the banquet: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=33

We hope to see you at a meeting or event soon! Don't forget 23 is in maintenance now and we always enjoy more help/company when working on the plane.

-LSW

Winter Maintenance

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 06:00:00 +0000

It is that time again.

Our beloved 23 has served us well in 2019. We've attended many events, given many rides, and put nearly 100 hours on the airplane (which is a lot for our small unit!). There are always things to tweak and maintain and the most effective time we have during the year is our winter maintenance season. This is the time we take the aircraft offline for an extended period to thoroughly inspect and repair any issues we find. We don't anticipate anything major this year, but there are always things that come up. If you feel you'd like to support our effort to keep this aircraft flying you can help out in two ways:

1. Join us. We are always looking for new members. Members have the opportunity to work on the aircraft (after some training). You do NOT have to be an FAA certificated mechanic to twist wrenches on our aircraft. You need to be diligent and careful and you must jump through a few hoops (mandatory drug testing is required due to the nature of our rides program).

2. Donate. It's the end of the year. Every little bit helps. You can donate via check made out to the Lone Star Wing, CAF and sent to our address at 2020 Warren Dr., Marshall, TX 75672.

Our next meeting will be January 18th at 10 am (at the same address). Please come out! We'd love to see you and we always go to lunch after the meeting so there's an opportunity to hang out and share a meal together.

See you soon!

-LSW

Wings Over Dallas 2019

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 05:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing attended Wings Over Dallas at Executive Field (KRBD) from 10/25 - 10/27. The Stearman was flown by Col. Page. Cols. Drew Thomas and Col. Kathy Wilkins Thomas, along with Col. Berryman joined Col. Page at the show to provide ground support. Weather was bad Friday, 10/25, so the Stearman headed out early on the 24th and got tucked in to a hangar to ride out the weather. Saturday started with some low clouds, but they were high enough to fly so ride sales commenced. Rides were sold with the excellent assistance of the CAF B-29/B-24 squadron. Despite a rather long distance between the ride desk and the aircraft, we made it work with golf carts and radio communication and successfully shared the Stearman with 9 riders over two days. Col. Page also flew 23 in the trainer parade on Saturday and Sunday. It was a great show. This is the first time the unit has attended WOD in a while and it was really fun to get out and connect with other units. It's easy to get isolated in our beautiful little corner of East Texas, so it's important for us to plug in with our fellow CAF units. We appreciate the excellent hospitality of the B-29/B-24 squadron and CAF HQ personnel who helped us get our aircraft into a hangar and out of the weather. The show was very well run and air ops were a blast.

The educational opportunities were top-notch as well. Col. Page's family attended on Saturday and his young children (see pic below) really enjoyed the education hangar activities (they accomplished every station in the hangar!).

Check out the photo gallery here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=32

We'll be back next year!

New Pilot Training on the Stearman!

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 05:00:00 +0000

On Saturday, October 12th, James Hulsey, a freshly minted CAF Colonel and holder of a hot-off-the-presses PT-13/PT-17 transition letter, started his Stearman training in 23! Col. Page is the instructor and reports that James is a gifted pilot and took to the Stearman immediately. They accomplished 3 hours of the required 15 hours of flight time including 20 landings and takeoffs and a short trip to Longview from Marshall to do some touch and goes there and grab some fuel. As you can see by the photo accompanying this post, Col. Hulsey is pretty stoked about his first few hours at the controls. The Lone Star Wing is excited to welcome James to our ranks. He's doing excellent and we look forward to his accomplishing the required training and getting his pilot letter! If you would like to fly with us, you can get checked out. There are requirements to meet and hoops to jump through, but as James would probably say, "It's totally worth it!" For more information click this link: Get Checked Out!

October Meeting Location Update (Bluebird Hill)

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 05:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing will hold our monthly meeting at Bluebird Hill (5F5) in Keithville, LA. We've been invited to join the local EAA chapter and enjoy some food and fellowship so we'll combine that fun with a wing meeting! There will be cool airplanes to see, a great field to fly into (should you choose to do so!), and friendly folks to meet!

We have it on good authority a beautiful Nanchange CJ-6 may join us at Bluebird Hill, and who knows what other fun airplanes may show up!

-Lone Star Wing Staff

Lone Star Wing at the Bluebonnet Airsho in Burnet, TX

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 05:00:00 +0000

On September 14th, 2019 the Lone Star Wing Stearman was at the Bluebonnet Airsho in Burnet, TX - hosted by the Highland Lakes Squadron of the CAF.

This is the longest trip of 2019 for the LSW, and the flight went well. Cols Page and Cobb boarded the airplane in the early afternoon on September 13th and flew to Mexia, TX for fuel. From there they continued to Burnet. The trip was beautiful and uneventful. The LSW Stearman, #23, ran great the entire time. The Highland Lakes Squadron were great hosts, giving us a rental car and putting us up at a local hotel. Their hospitality was top-notch!

Great weather prevailed the day of the show and the Stearman looked great in the trainer parade and on static display.

See this gallery for pics of the event: Click for Gallery

Tribute to CAF Col. Bob Charles Dunn

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Col Bob Charles Dunn, aged 89, “Headed West” on September 3, 2019.

Bob was a life member of the Commemorative Air Force and a long time member of the Lone Star Wing. He served in the Air Force from 1950-54 where he was a pilot and he continued flying for the rest of his life. His pride and joy was his Blue and Yellow Navy PT-19 which he proudly flew to Air Shows all over East Texas. He also organized air shows in his hometown of Nacogdoches and participated as Announcer, Air Boss or as a welcome guest at any event he attended.

Bob was a community leader where he served as city commissioner of Nacogdoches for 10 years, county judge for four years, and mayor for three years.

Col Bob Dun will be missed by all that knew him and, as they say, may he fly in blue skies and calm winds forever!

The Lone Star Wing Visits the WWII Museum in New Orleans

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 05:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing held a field trip to the WWII Museum in New Orleans, LA in August. It was a great time of fellowship and education. This museum is a premier attraction nationwide and we are blessed to have it right in our back yard!

You can view the photo gallery here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=30

Col. Page Tours with the B-29/B-24 Squadron!

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Our own Col. Jimmy Page was privileged to tour with the CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron, flying their Stearman, for three weeks this summer. He's posted a gallery of pictures for your enjoyment. Col. Page will also present his experience at our next regular meeting in September. Our meeting for this month will occur at the WWII museum in New Orleans. Please join us there if you can!

Link to Col. Page's photo album: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=29

As always, if you have any questions about the CAF or the Lone Star Wing, use the contact page above or give us a call at (903) 702-5353.

Field Trip to Mid-America Flight Museum

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 05:00:00 +0000

On June 15, 2019, the Lone Star Wing visited the excellent Mid-America Flight Museum. The members were welcomed cordially with coffee and donuts and given an excellent tour of the facility. We can't say enough good about this amazing museum. Each airplane is flying or being restored to flying condition. Visitors are able to walk right up to the aircraft (under the watchful eye of the friendly staff) and some airplanes are open and visitors are allowed to board them and explore the interior. It's a truly generous experience as Scott Glover and his staff facilitate the sharing of these historic aircraft. The Lone Star Wing appreciates the time the staff spent talking to us about each aircraft and giving us a great overall experience. We can't wait to return.

You can check out a gallery of photos from LSW members here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=28

This photo gallery will be updated over the coming weeks as members assemble their best shots and get them uploaded, so make sure you check back often.

-Lone Star Wing

Lone Star Wing Field Trip to to Mid America Flight Museum

Thu, 13 Jun 2019 05:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing will be taking a field trip the Mt. Pleasant, TX for a visit to the amazing Mid America Flight Museum. This trip will be in lieu of our regular monthly meeting. It's a great opportunity to come out and meet the members and enjoy a trip to a great local attraction. Logistics are as follows:

We plan to be AT the museum by 10am. You may carpool with us if you'd like. We'll be meeting at the Lone Star Wing hangar at Harrison County Airport (KASL) at 8am for carpool. Our address is:

2020 Warren Dr.
Marshall, Texas 75672

If you need directions you can check out the website home page here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/, send an email to lonestarwingcaf@gmail.com, message us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/lonestarcaf/) or give us a call at (903)702-5353.

If you would like to fly your personal airplane to the museum, you are welcome to do so! We plan to start the tour at 10am so make your flight plan work for that time.

We hope to see you there!

-The Lone Star Wing

Girl Scout Troop 7145 Visits the Lone Star Wing!

Fri, 31 May 2019 05:00:00 +0000

On May 30th, 2019 at 6pm, the Girl Scouts from Troop 7145 along with family and friends, visited the Lone Star Wing for a night of aviation education and sharing the mutual passion for learning. Education officer Ed Smith and Operations officer Jimmy Page introduced the girls to the Comemmorative Air Force and the Lone Star Wing as well as providing a basic overview of the principles of flight and aircraft control before adjourning to the LSW hangar for a visit with the Stearman. Col. Page gave the group a quick history of the aircraft and demonstrated some of the concepts he spoke about during the short lecture on principles of flight. Col. Smith and Col. Page gave each interested girl a personal tour of the cockpit and many pictures were taken.

It was a great night to educate and inspire the next generation of women and at least a few of these young ones were VERY passionate about aviation and history.

The Lone Star Wing loves to host events like these, so let us know if your organization would like to have a presentation like this. Education is a cornerstone of what we do at the LSW and at the CAF...so please get in touch with us if you have an idea for an educational experience and you think we can help you!

You can reach us at (903) 702-5353 or via the contact form on this website.

photo credit: Mandy Smith

The Lone Star Wing Spring 2019 Fly-in was a Great Time!

Mon, 27 May 2019 05:00:00 +0000

On May 25th, the Lone Star Wing held a fly-in. This was the first spring fly-in for the LSW in a couple of years and it was a great success! Thankyou to everyone who came out to support the wing. We had pilots fly in from as far away as Houston. The food was great and the fellowship was even better. The even made the front page (both print and web) of the Marshall News Messenger (check out the article here: https://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/local/caf-lone-star-wing-s-annual-spring-fly-in-draws/article_9819353a-7f47-11e9-99de-3b89d7370d14.html). We, at the Lone Star Wing, are very thankful for the support of Harrison County Airport, the city of Marshall, and all of the aviation enthusiasts who made it out for the event. Your contributions keep us flying...thank you!

Here's a link to the gallery for the event: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=27

As always, if you are curious about future events...check out the Facebook Events calendar here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/lonestarcaf/events/

Lone Star Wing Spring 2019 Fly-In

Mon, 13 May 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Lone Star Wing Spring 2019 Fly-in

May 25, 2019 at Harrison County Airport (KASL)

10 AM to 2 PM

The Lone Star Wing will host a spring fly-in/drive-in (bring out your ride to show off...we always have a great group of auto enthusiasts join us!) on May 25th (rain or shine). Come out and enjoy the day with with us. We'll have food from Bodacious BBQ for a donation of $8. Harrison County Airport is located in Marshall, TX, just Northeast of Longview (if you are driving you can just stay on I-20 going East from Longview or West from Shreveport). More information about how to locate us can be found on the home page of this site: https://www.lonestarwing.org/

Our address is:

2020 S. Warren Dr.

Marshall, TX 75672

Stearman rides will be available all day and if you would like to book a time ride booking is available at https://www.lonestarwing.org/booking/ no payment is required to book, but we do ask that you let us know if your plans change. Stearman rides are offered at $150 for 15 minutes or $200 for 20 minutes. Time on rides is only counted from takeoff to landing so your time actually flying in the aircraft is maximized. All donations and ride sales will go toward maintenance and operation of the airplane to support the CAF mission to "Educate, Inspire, and Honor".

If you have questions about flying or driving in or any other questions, don't hesitate to call us at (903)702-5353.

We will see you soon!

-The Lone Star Wing

Edited (5/14/2019) - Original post was showing free food...this was a mistake...we apologize but we are asking for an $8 donation for lunch. Thanks! - LSW Ops

New "How to Get Checked Out" Page Added!

Sun, 05 May 2019 05:00:00 +0000

We've had folks asking about the process to get checked out to fly the Stearman so we built a page to answer your questions. Policies do change from time to time, but we will do our best to keep this page updated. As always, the best way to get information is to come out to meeting or event and meet us! We are a friendly bunch who love sharing this airplane and our organization.

Here's a link to the new page: https://www.lonestarwing.org/information/get-checked-out-to-fly-the-stearman/

See you out there.

Keep 'em Flying!

-The LSW

The Lone Star Wing Attends The Critter's Lodge Spring Fly-in 2019

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 05:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing attended the Spring 2019 Critter's Lodge Fly-in on April 27th to April 28th. This excellent fly-in is hosted by Wendell Dillard and it was an EXCELLENT experience. The Stearman gave rides on the 27th and the LSW crew shared many great conversations with folks in attendance. This fly-in was an amazing opportunity to share living history. Many of the attendees of this fly-in were former NASA employees, there was a pilot who did "high altitude reconnasiance", another pilot was a retired movie stuntman, and many others shared their stories of living history. It was a great time for the young LSW family members to learn about what was accomplished by the generations going before them. The LSW was able to share flying the Stearman with a few folks including a couple of young pilots on their way to a career in aviation. As always, a flight in the Stearman was especially significant to this budding aviators and the LSW was honored to share the experience. If you are reading this and can attend a future event and purchase a ride for an aspiring aviator (our calendar is found here: LSW Calendar on Facebook) or if you are near Marshall, TX and want to purchase a ride out of our home base, you will find it pays dividends beyond the cost and time. We have seen it time and again, a ride in an old open cockpit biplane helps solidify a budding passion for aviation. We can't wait to see you at our next event!

Link to event photo gallery: 2019 Critter's Lodge Fly-in

The Lone Star Wing Attends Wings Over Pegasus

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 05:00:00 +0000

On April 20th, 2019, the Lone Star Wing joined the Pegasus Project and the SPCA of East Texas for their "Wings Over Pegasus" airshow and invitational fly-in. This was the 5th annual event and the first time the LSW attended. The event was very well run, originating out of Red Star (71XA) a private airfield located on the Pegasus Project grounds. The strip features a groomed grass runway 2500' long by 50' wide. The LSW Stearman felt right at home operating on this runway and the fun was shared with 10 riders. The members of the LSW pooled resources and contributed $30 to the Pegasus project for each ride sold on the Stearman. The SPCA of East Texas brought some really awesome fur babies to meet the friendly folds attending the event. The wing had a great time sharing WWII aviation history with the fine folks at Wings Over Pegasus and we can't wait to come back! Click the link below for pictures of the fun times at the event.

Wings Over Pegasus 2019 Photo Gallery

Ride Day and Open House Was GREAT!

Sat, 30 Mar 2019 05:00:00 +0000

The LSW hosted a ride day and open house on March 30th, 2019. While the weather stopped the fun earlier than we would have liked, we were able to accomplish a couple of rides in the Stearman. Col. Page was excited to see an old friend who drove out from the Dallas area to ride with us. Thanks for driving out Daniel! Our second rider was the young lady that won the raffle at the recent LeTourneau University Women's Air Race Team hangar dance. Chloe's ride had to be cut short as Col. Page didn't want to push the weather, but she had fun and the LSW will definitely get her in the air again soon to finish out her ride.

It was a great day of fun, fellowship, aviation, and (yes) DONUTS.

Click the picture below to check out the gallery from today's fun:

LSW Pilot Col. Page Attends Redstar Pilot's Formation Clinic

Sat, 23 Mar 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Lone Star Wing pilot Jimmy Page attended the Redstar Pilot's Association formation clinic held at Lancaster, TX (KLNC) this weekend. Col. Page reports a great time was had by all despite the lack of Stearman instructors and his inability to fly the Stearman in formation training. He attended the excellent groundschool put on by the RPA, rode along side Chris "Bloke" Maurer in his Thorp T-18 during formation operations (the picture attached to this post is from that flight), and accomplished his CAF recurrency flight with CAF Chief Operating Officer (and Stearman instructor), David Oliver. In addition, Col. Page was able to add an acrobatic endorsement to his CAF pilot rating. Col. Page had a full couple of days and has returned home with a head full of new experiences and knowledge to ponder. After seeing formation flying in person, he is excited to actually train in the Stearman. The LSW hopes to see him have the opportunity at some point in the future.

Decorated Veteran Speaks at Lone Star Wing

Sat, 23 Mar 2019 05:00:00 +0000

On Saturday, 23 March 2019, during the Lone Star Wing's regular monthly meeting, we were blessed to hear from Marshall, Texas resident Bob Snead. Bob is a retired veteran of 30 years of military service, during which he earned the combat Air Medal, (3) Purple Hearts, (3) Vietnam Crosses of Gallantry, (2) Bronze Stars with V, the Combat Infantry Badge, Senior Parachutist's Badge, and the Master Aviator Badge. Bob initially enlisted and served in the Army as an infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Brigade. After tours to Central America where he was wounded, and Vietnam, he became a jumpmaster and Senior Parachutist in charge of training our Army Airborne soldiers. He jumped from numerous aircraft platforms to include: C-123, C-130, C-141, and multiple other single, multi-engine and heliborne platforms. He then went on to become a dual-rated Army aviator, flying combat helicopter missions in Vietnam in the Hotel and Charlie UH-1 helicopters. He told stories of gunship missions over Vietnam, surviving the Tet Offensive of 1968, and being shot down more than once in his UH-1C gunship. He also spent time flying multiple type/model/series Army fixed wing aircraft to include transport, reconnaissance, and cargo missions.

Bob is also a successful cartoonist of military and political life, as well as a renowned artist and painter. He was appointed to the Texas Commission on the Arts by Gov. Rick Perry in February of 2004. He is also an expert on the Buffalo Soldiers and their rich history in the United States Military, completing many works depicting that history as well as his own. Many of his works can be seen at www.bobsneadart.com.

Photo of some of the members of the Lone Star Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. Left to Right: Doyle Curry, Mike Cobb, Jimmy Page, Bob Snead, Wilson Page, Travis Keeney, and Jim Berryman. Pictured with an original artwork donated by Bob of his UH-1C gunship 136, entitled "Patrolling the Central Highlands of South Vietnam 1968"

More pictures of Bob's visit to the LSW are posted for viewing here: https://www.lonestarwing.org/photo-gallery?album_id=22#

Ride Day! March 30th, 2019

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Join the Lone Star Wing at our hangar at the Harrison County Airport (address can be found on our home page) for a ride in our Stearman.

Ride costs are $150 for 15 minutes and $200 for 20 minutes. You can book a slot here. No payment is required to reserve a slot, but please be sure you are committed to riding with us if you do book. We'll be available all day to give rides in the airplane and other slots may be open depending on how efficient the scheduled rides can be. We do not offer acrobatic rides at this time, but we guarantee the "standard" ride will put a smile on your face.

See you soon!

-CAF Lone Star Wing

The LSW Stearman Will be Attending the EAA St. Patrick's Day Fly-in on March 16th!

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 06:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing Stearman will be at Cherokee County Airport on March 16th to celebrate St. Patrick's day with the EAA. Ride sales will be available for $150 for 15 minutes of flight time. Come hang out with EAA Chapter 1592 and the Lone Star Wing, eat some green pancakes, and help support these two great organizations. All ride sales on 23 go to support the maintenance and continued operation of the airplane.

Information on the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/282502559041248/

We look forward to seeing you there!

Rides can be scheduled on the LSW rides page: https://www.lonestarwing.org/booking/

NOTE: Weather is always a factor when we fly, the LSW will post here and on our Facebook page if weather changes and precludes attendance at the event. If you schedule a ride and we are unable to attend, we will contact you directly. No payment is required to schedule a ride on the link above.

EDIT: 3/11/2019 to change "airport" to "airplane"

Annual Complete!

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 06:00:00 +0000

On March 2nd the LSW conducted the annual inspection on our beloved 23. Col. Hunton oversaw the work and Col. Page lent a hand with Cols Thomas, Curry, and Talley assisting. Two days were blocked out to accomplish the inspection, but owing to the steady work on various squawks over the past few months, 23 passed the annual on the first day. A new ELT was needed, but this was not a surprise and fits nicely with the desire to upgrade to the more recent 406 mhz designs. 23 is a WWII biplane and as such will always have minor pop-up maintenance items. This being the case, the LSW is always interested in more members helping out with maintenance. There is a process to join our maintenance team. If you are interested in "twisting a wrench" on 23, please attend a meeting and we will answer your questions and walk around the airplane. We'd love to have you (remember, new members get a ride in the bird after joining up!). Our next meeting will be March 16th, 2019 at 10am at the LSW hangar. Check the front page of this website for location information.

Annual Inspection Coming Up and NEW Tires!

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 06:00:00 +0000

23 recently received a set of new shoes. Special thanks to Desser Tire (https://www.desser.com/) for the tires at a special price and Air Power Inc. for help with our main tire tubes (http://www.airpowerinc.com/). The LSW membership worked quickly to get the old tires off and the new tires on. Col. Page recently flew the aircraft and he reports that 23 seems very happy with her new shoes.

Speaking of maintenance, 23 will be undergoing it's annual inspection on March 2nd and 3rd. If you are interested in observing, eating some donuts, or even helping our maintainers with various tasks around the hangar, come on out. We'll be at the hangar most of the day on each of these days.

See you soon!

LETU Women's Air Race Hangar Dance a SUCCESS!

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 06:00:00 +0000

The LeTourneau University Women's Air Race Team hangar dance at Rusk County Airport was a great success. The Lone Star Wing donated a special 30 minute ride in the Stearman to be raffled off and a young lady (12 years old) won the raffle! She'll be getting her first open-cockpit biplane ride soon. We are excited to see these ladies race in the Air Race Classic.

For more information on the Air Race Classic check out this link: https://www.airraceclassic.org/race-information.htm

For more information on Letourneau's Air Race Team go here: https://www.facebook.com/LETUAirRace/

Join the LSW in supporting these ladies as they race against teams from all over ranging in age from 17 to 90 years old!

Hangar Dance at Rusk County Airprot

Thu, 07 Feb 2019 06:00:00 +0000

The LeTourneau University Women's Air Race Team is holding a hangar dance at Rusk County Airport (click here for more information) to benefit their efforts in the 2019 Air Race Classic (https://www.airraceclassic.org/). The Lone Star Wing will be contributing a special 30 minute ride in our Stearman to this event. Take your special someone to a great dance this weekend, February 9th at 7pm at Rusk County Airport and support this great cause. Who knows? You may win a ride in the Stearman!

2017 Article in The Marshall News Messenger

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 06:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing was featured in this article in 2017. The information remains relevant today so we are posting it here.

Enjoy!

News Article

January Meeting Postponed to 1/26/2019 (Saturday) at 10 am

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 06:00:00 +0000

Because of inclement weather the Lone Star Wing member meeting (and the staff meeting scheduled before the member meeting) has been postponed to the following Saturday, 1/26/2019.

Please be safe in your travels this weekend.

We will see you next weekend at 10am at the LSW Hangar!

Merry Christmas!

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 06:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing wishes you and yours a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! We love our community in Marshall and our greater East Texas area community. Please be safe during your celebration and enjoy the season. We hope and pray for a restful time as you reflect on 2018. We are looking forward to serving you and continuing our mission to educate our community and share this incredible airplane whereever we can.

2018 Lone Star Wing Pearl Harbor Remembrance Banquet

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:00:00 +0000

On December 7th, 2018, the LSW came together to remember the events of Pearl Harbor and how they changed our country forever. Recently I've been reading (listening to) the book, Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission, about a B-17 crew in World War II. The early chapters cover the war in the Pacific shortly after Pearl Harbor. I did not understand how dire the situation was for the U.S. immediately after Pearl Harbor before reading this book. I find myself with a new perspective on the events of December 7th, 1941 and a new appreciate for the generation that brought the full weight of our country's resolve to bear on her enemies. I can't imagine the uncertainty that must have been present for that period of time, especially for those living in Hawaii and on the United States' West Coast. I'm thankful for the sacrifices made by that generation to spool up the U.S. war machine so quickly and effectively. December 7th, 1941 truly was a "date which will live in infamy."

-Col. Page for the LSW

2018 Lone Star Wing Awards

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:00:00 +0000

During the Lone Star Wing annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance Banquet the following award recipients were named:

Joe Dacus "Colonel of the Year": Col. Anne Schultz. Col. Schultz has served as the LSW Finance Officer with distinction, but beyond that has assisted at nearly every event we've deployed to in 2018. Her smiling face helps the LSW put the best foot forward to riders and folks with questions. She is also the hub of planning for events like our fly-in and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Banquet.

Service Plaques for 2018 Staff Positions:

Col. Travis Keeney - Operations Officer
Col. Drew Thomas - Development Officer
Col. Bill Shinneman - Adjutant

"High Flight Award": Col. James Berryman. Col. Berryman is ever-present no matter what is happening at the wing. From helping with ground support at every event we attended this year to coordinating lighting upgrades at the hangar, Col. Berryman is always ready to serve and always serves with a smile and a light heart.

Special Recogntion Award: Col. Hugh Hunton. There isn't enough to say about Col. Hunton. He has been a pillar of the LSW for too many years to list. He's served in every role available, including numerous stints as Wing Leader. The LSW would not be in existance without Col. Hunton. He's made many sacrifices over the years to push our organization forward or to simply keep it going. We can't thank him enough.

Making Dreams Come True is Easy?

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:00:00 +0000

There's an impression that making dreams come true requires the miraculous. I think, however, the difficulty of attaining a dream depends on perspective. I dreamed of flying airplanes for a living. There was no way this dream would be attained without a miracle as the costs and logistics were too difficult to overcome for my family. I attempted the military route and that door closed as well. Then a gentleman who was a regular customer at my father's barbershop offered to loan me the money I needed to get my flight training...and my dream came true. I'm not going to deny that I believe this was miraculous divine intervention as expressed through the generosity of this gentleman. However, for him it was a simple decision to share his wealth with someone in need. For Him, the opportunity was apparent, and the solution was (fairly) simple.

A couple of weeks ago I had to same realization about what we do at the CAF and the LSW. We are in the business of sharing these amazing airplanes and the history they represent with anyone and everyone. We preserve them for future generations. We have the privilege of flying the airplanes for maintenance and for pleasure in the process of accomplishing this mission. Case in point: the LSW’s current need to fly the airplane for a few hours and send off some oil for analysis to establish trends (see this post). I had another beautiful day and had schedule to fly with my mother, who has not flown in the Stearman before. Unfortunately, as these days often go, things did not go as planned and she was unable to fly with me. This left me with an empty front seat and a short time to fill it. I don’t like flying alone if I can avoid it. These airplanes are meant to be shared. So, I called a buddy from church who had expressed excitement at flying with me at some point. It was short notice, so I wasn’t sure he’d be available, but he made it work. This was a dream of his. He was so excited to fly and during the flight his joy was so fun to share. Here I was, flying the airplane for currency and hours, and he was fulfilling a dream. What was rather simple for me was a dream come true for him. I can’t express how amazing that feels. It’s something we get to do at the CAF regularly. We fulfill dreams.

There are folks who went to war with, in, and around these airplanes who have dreamed of flying one or being flown in one “one more time”. All over the country during our visits to events and airshows, these folks fulfill their dreams. There are people who have grown up admiring these aircraft from afar and meet us at events and airshows…and fulfill their dreams.

Perhaps I’m being overly dramatic. But, when the LSW attends an event and sells rides or when I take a “simple” local flight for pleasure and currency and ask someone along, there’s a good chance those riders are checking off a bucket list item and fulfilling a dream. Making dreams come true can be easy...depending on your perspective. It was a relatively simple thing for my father's customer to loan me the funds I needed to learn to fly, and it was a relatively simple thing for me to text my buddy and offer that open seat a couple of weeks ago. Both events represented dreams coming true.

2019 Lone Star Wing Staff Officer Roster

Mon, 10 Dec 2018 06:00:00 +0000

IAW with LSW Special Order No. 2018-0006:

SUBJECT: NOTICE OF ELECTION OF WING STAFF OFFICERS

Wing Leader - MICHAEL COBB, CAFID 1936 Year 2019

Executive Officer – TRAVIS KEENEY, CAFID 40409 2019-2020

Finance Officer - ANNE SCHULTZ, CAFID 39048 Year 2019

Adjutant - BILL SHINNEMAN, CAFID 10081 Year 2019

Maintenance Officer – BOB KENDRICK, CAFID 4584 Year 2019

Operations Officer – JIMMY PAGE, CAFID 4159 2019-2020

Safety Officer – VANCE WALKER, CAFID 40646 2019–2020

Education Officer – ED SMITH III, CAFID 25198 2019-2020

Duties of Unit Staff officers are outlined in the CAF Unit Manual and as may be assigned.

The office of DEVELOPMENT OFFICER is currently served by COL DREW THOMAS, CAFID 40296 whose term is through the year 2019.

BY ORDER OF THE WING STAFF:

MICHAEL K. COBB

Colonel, CAF

Leader (Acting)/XO

LSW SPECIAL ORDER 2018-06 (LSW Officers 2019).pdf

December 7th Pearl Harbor Remembrance Banquet

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 06:00:00 +0000

The Lone Star Wing will hold the annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance Banquet on December 7th. Details follow. You have ONE DAY to RSVP to Col. Schultz!

Lone Star Wing Dinner

BYOB Happy Hour 6:30 p.m. / Dinner 7 p.m.

Speaker to follow dinner

Location: Michelson Museum

216 N. Bolivar St.

Marshall, Tx

Cost: $25 per person

RSVP on form attached by Nov. 30

(email RSVP accepted with all information below included)

Menu: Tuscan Chicken OR Flat Iron Steak, Roasted Potatoes, Squash and Zucchini, Salad, Rolls, Buttermilk Chocolate Cake, Tea, Water, Coffee (Meal will be buffet style, chose one meat)

Please utilize the attached file to RSVP according to the instructions.

Hope to see you there!

-The LSW

Dec 7 LSW RSVP.docx

Oil Analysis and JOY

Sun, 18 Nov 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Photo Credit: Erica Swenson

The Lone Star Wing held it's monthly meeting on Saturday 11/17/2018. As the weather seemed to be cooperating, I (Col. Page) decided to fly some hours. We need another 5 hours to establish some trends with our oil analysis lab, and good weather is getting harder to come by in East Texas. Saturday looked perfect, so I put out the word that I would be flying a bit after the meeting.

Oil analysis is an important part of maintaining our airplane. Similar to what bloodwork does for you and your doctor, oil analysis lets us see inside the engine and detect problems before they become catastrophic (or even near catastrophic). Modern oil analysis is a wonder of science. If you are interested there is a great article here: https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/engine-oil-analysis/. For what it's worth, the Bob is the Oil Guy site is a treasure trove of excellent articles on engine oil.

So I have 5 hours to put on our oil before another sample goes off to the lab. We don't have any more events on the docket so that flying will be for fun and personal use. Any time we fly our airplane...even for personal enjoyment...we do so within the auspices of the CAF's mission to share these historic aircraft with folks. On Saturday I was able to take three of our members flying...it was so much fun to share a flight in the airplane they work so hard to support. On that note...joining our wing will net you a short "member flight" along with the privilege of joining me or another pilot during transit to and from events. Not every member of the LSW is a pilot, but all members of the LSW work to support our mission...so it's important and FUN to share a flight with all members!

At one point during a member flight the member, Col. Walker, spoke (yelled may be a better term here...open cockpit is a bit noisy) to me over the intercom "It's good to see you enjoying this so much!". He pretty much summed up my day. I LOVE sharing this airplane with people.

Speaking of sharing the airplane...after our member flights I decided to putter (always a good word when describing Stearman enroute flights) over to the airport I call home for work...East Texas Regional (KGGG). KGGG is a Class D airport with a TRSA...this means they have optional RADAR approach control and a (mandatory) tower. It's a bit different than the environment at our home base of Harrison County (KASL). The KGGG controllers are used to dealing with fairly slow GA aircraft as LeTourneau University (where I teach) uses the typical (and a few somewhat non-typical) slow GA airplanes for training. However, when a couple of Air Force Beechjets are in the pattern as a 75 knot Stearman is entering...it can make life a bit difficult for those controllers. They did a great job and Col. Berryman and I eventually landed at KGGG and taxied to LeTourneau's facility.

My plan: burn the rest of my free time sharing the Stearman with as many students as I could fit into the time.

Saturdays at LETU are a bit slower than a normal weekday...so I didn't anticipate a LOT of students would be around. I grabbed the first student, had them sign the requisite Hold Harmless form, and we went up for a few trips around the pattern (combining the fun with some bounces for me...)...the smile on his face was awesome. As we were walking back to the hangar another student was post-flighting her plane after a solo practice block. She asked if we had just flown the Stearman...I said yes...then "you want to go up?" An emphatic expression in the affirmative echoed across the ramp and she promptly came inside and signed the paperwork. She was shaking with excitement as we signed.

Awesome.

We only had time for a couple of trips around the pattern, but as you can see in the picture accompanying this post, she enjoyed every minute of it. I think there was a time she had both arms spread out of the cockpit and was saying, "I'm a bird!". These are the best times. What better way to share this historic airplane than with folks who love aviation? We can talk at a high level about the mission of the CAF and the importance of flying and sharing these relics, but the rubber meets the runway (or leaves it?) when we are working to inspire folks to be aviators. Perhaps, more than any other type in the CAF inventory, the PT-17 Stearman (or N2S in our case) shines the most in this role. This is an airplane that taught many aviators to fly, and successful teaching requires inspiration. When thought of in that way our Stearman was "just doing it's job" on Saturday...and it's very good at that job.

Veteran's Day 2018

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 06:00:00 +0000

(Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo/Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

My father and step-father both served in Vietnam. Stories of their time in service usually center around the positive things they experienced. The stories often involve a hearty laugh as we listen to their adventures. I love the story my step-father tells of hanging by a safety line out of the side of a helicopter while operating a door gun. Physics is sure a bummer sometimes! My dad tells the story of learning his trade (he is a barber) in Vietnam. He relates how he saw God’s faithfulness in the direction even there, thousands of miles away from home.

Even the difficult stories are often accompanied with humor and a smile. Though they are covered with humor, I can’t help but wonder at the sacrifices they faced as they regale the table with a story of their time over there. I know the sacrifices were deep and lasting. I can’t imagine what they have seen and experienced. I’ve never been to war. I’ve never been close to war. Like most Americans I’m comfortable and warm within the borders of my strong and wealthy nation.

The debt we owe our veterans can never be repaid.

Last Sunday the pastor of our church spoke on honor. Honor brings unity. We can honor our veterans. We should give thanks to them for serving, not just because it’s “good manners” but because they deserve that honor. I have the pleasure of being surrounded by men and women who have served in my chosen occupation (aviation). I’m so grateful to be constantly reminded of the debt I owe to these great men and women. I’m thankful that I have had the pleasure to share a flight with a few of them over the last year of flying our Stearman.

I know my fellow LSW and CAF members join me in thanking all of our veterans this Veteran’s Day 2018.

Thank you. All of you. Thank you for serving. We love you. We honor you.

-Jimmy Page for the Lone Star Wing of the CAF

Culture at the Ground Level

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 06:00:00 +0000

I just finished reading the CAF President/CEO, Hank Coates, words on culture in this month's Dispatch. I couldn't agree more with his thoughts. As a fairly new member of the Lone Star Wing, I've found our unit to be quite welcoming. That's not to say we don't have differences of opinion or conflict at times, but we are unified in our goal to educate folks by sharing the joy of living history through our Stearman and the historic items situated around our facility. I was reminded of this unity again on Saturday when we held our annual fly-in. Our unit is not large. Hosting an event like this is an all hands on deck thing. Despite the often stressful nature of these events, everyone was excited to be there and enjoying the time. It was especially fun to be selling rides out of our home airport. Often we are out at remote locations, with a small ground support staff, but on Saturday we had everyone there to share the joy of this mission.

I continue to enjoy my time with these folks. There was a moment when I was sitting on a couch listening to Col. Bill Shinneman share a story, from the thousands constantly on tap in his internal file cabinet of history, when my mind slowed down a bit to take it all in. The day was perfect. Bill was talking about the Flying Tigers, and I was learning new things (as I often do from listening to these folks), and history was coming to life. Admittedly, I've never been a huge history buff. I LOVE airplanes, especially vintage warplanes, but I have not spent a lot of personal time studying history. Now, though, I've found a growing passion for the subject. History is coming to life as I spend time with the LSW members, listening as they swap stories about the history of our unit and about their service or family member's service. History is coming to life as I fly this airplane and share the purity of flight it represents...a huge contrast with most of the time in my logbook. As I was reading the article on culture it struck me, I would not be experiencing any of this without a welcoming culture. So thank you, members of the Lone Star Wing, for welcoming this "young buck" into your midst. It's been a true pleasure to get to know you!

The LSW Fly-In was a SUCCESS!

Sun, 04 Nov 2018 05:00:00 +0000

A hearty thank you to everyone who made the trip to Harrison County Airport for our annual LSW fly-in. The weather was great (maybe a little windy, Col. Page was complaining about the conditions, but we think he was just making excuses for his less than stellar landings). The food was good and the company was better. A special thanks to all who donated to our work to operate and maintain 23 and to those who supported that by sharing the joy of a ride in the airplane. Thanks to the folks who brought their beautiful cars to show off as well! Thanks to Harrison County Airport and especially our airport manager, Tina, for hospitality and arranging the car show in concert with our fly-in.

Until Next Year!

Preserving a Legacy (x2)

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Tonight, we gave the LSW PT-17 a good wash so she was ready for our flyin this weekend (11/3/2018). I had the privilege to work with our wing leader, Mike Cobb. Mike has been around for a while and we got to talking about the history of the Lone Star Wing and our PT-17 in particular.

Mike mentioned it took about 4-5 years to finish the rebuild and restoration of 23 (our affectionate name for the PT-17…a reference to the ship number emblazoned on the side of the fuselage). When I looked at him with a bit of disbelief he said, “well, we had another plane flying…” as if to say, “we weren’t in a hurry, we could take our time since we had another bird to fly…” Speaking of that other bird, 23’s sister ship, 33, is now under the capable stewardship of the DFW wing of the CAF. If you are ever near Lancaster Regional Airport (KLNC), go visit the DFW wing. We enjoyed their hospitality during my (Col. Page) training and appreciate that hospitality and training very much. Anyway, back to the story…

I had a realization when Mike mentioned the length of time it took to rebuild/restore 23. At the CAF, and specifically at the LSW, we are tasked with not just preserving the legacy of the men and women who trained and fought in these aircraft. We are also tasked with preserving the legacy of the men and women who have, over the years, lovingly restored, repaired, and maintained these aircraft in flying condition. The “Keep’em Flying” philosophy bears double the weight of inspiration when we think of it in these terms. I’m part of a new generation of LSW unit members who are enjoying the fruits of the labors of those who have gone before me. Other new members of other CAF units would do well to pause and ponder this as well. As we seek to grow the Lone Star Wing and expand our ability to accomplish the mission of the CAF:

“The CAF was founded to acquire, restore and preserve in flying condition a complete collection of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of the United States, and selected aircraft of other nations, for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans.

More than just a collection of airworthy warplanes from the past, the CAF's fleet of historic aircraft, known as the CAF Ghost Squadron, recreate, remind and reinforce the lessons learned from the defining moments in American military aviation history.”

We must also realize the sacrifices of those who have gone before us in that mission. It helps us to appreciate the care and love that has gone into curating this incredible fleet of aircraft. Hopefully, it will also inspire us to continue the mission and “acquire, restore, and preserve” other aircraft so that generations coming after us can stand on our shoulders.

Let this post be a handshake of appreciation to my fellow LSW members who have poured heart and soul into the restoration of the aircraft I’m now enjoying so much. And let it also be a rally cry to the new CAF members everywhere to respect these aircraft doubly…for the men and women who trained and fought in them and the men and women who took on the challenge to restore them to flying condition.

Lone Star Wing Flyin - Saturday 11/3/2018

Mon, 29 Oct 2018 05:00:00 +0000

The LSW will host a flyin at the Harrison County Airport Saturday, 11/3/2018, rain or shine, from 10am to 2pm. Come out and meet the members, have some great food (lunch will be available, with all proceeds going to supporting and maintaining our beloved PT-17 Stearman), and go for a ride in the Stearman. Rides will be available for the entire day (even before and after the flyin) weather permitting. For more information on rides click HERE or you can book a ride for Saturday's flyin HERE. If you have other questions about the event, or would like to find out more about the wing, you can reach us on Facebook messenger HERE or give us a call at (936) 897-2205. Check out the FAQ for answers to some common questions.

The Lone Star Wing at the Flying M Ranch Flyin in Reklaw, TX!

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 05:00:00 +0000

The LSW Stearman will be at the Flying M Ranch for the annual flyin at Reklaw, Texas. Come and meet some of our folks and check out the plane. We'll be offering rides all day Saturday 10/28. Come experience this piece of amazing history and learn about our unit as well. We are excited to see you there!

Welcome!

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the new Lone Star Wing website! We hope to make this site a hub of information about US military history with specific focus on WWII. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can stay updated on the latest information. We'll be posting historical documents and artifacts, interviews with members and local history-makers, information and news about our events and wing, and educational articles and media. If you have an interesting idea for an article or other content contribution, don't hestitate to reach out to us here (<-click).

Again...Welcome!

-The LSW